Boiler-pipe cleaner



Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,434

- l.. ROCKELMAN BOILER PIPE CLEANER Filed Dec. 21, 1926 Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

Ubu'raov STATES LOUIS aocKELMAu, or sAL'r Lake CITY, UTAH.

liaoiLEa-'Preis CLEANER.

Application filed December 21, 1928. Serial No. 156,209A

My invention relates to cleaning pipes and has for its object to provide a new and ellicient apparatus for cleaning the water pipes in a steam heating `furnace.

A further object is to provide a new and efficient apparatus for cleaning the scale out of water pipes which are subjectedi-toihcat in a furnace. n

A still further object is to provide a new and economical apparatus for cleaning water pipes in a boiler, which have become stopped up with scale from the lime in the water depositing on the. inner faces of the pipes, and which will clean pipes that are not on the same angle as the plug opening in the front of the heater.

These objects I accomplish with the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views and as described in the speciiication forming a part of this application and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings in which I have shown the best and most preferred manner of building my invention Figure 1 is a section of a portion of a water heating furnace showing one pipe sectioned with my cleaner in place therein. Figure 2 is a side elevation ol' the cleaning apparatus. Figure 3 is an endv view of the screw collar. Figure 4 is a side elevation of the inner collar in which the cleaning screw operates.

In the drawings I have shown the lire grate composed of parallel pipes as A the header pipe as B and the front of the boiler as C. In most boilers the pipes `which carry the water are on a sloping plane as shown in Figure 1 and the front of the furnace or boiler is perpendicular so that au object being' placed through the front of the boiler would have to be at an angle to the rontin order to follow the direction of the pipes A. In the front side of the said boiler there are plugs screwed into cleaning holes 1 which normally hold the water within the boiler and pipes. My apparatus is to beplaced through the said holes 1 and an externally threaded collar Q is screwed into the hole 1 to iirmly hold the apparatus in place while cleaning the pipes. Near one end of the said collar 2 I provide set screws 3, 4 and 5, which set screws are to hold an internally threaded langed member 6 therein which member 6 has a flange 7 on one end and the central portion of the member G'adjacentto said collar is partially cut spherical as at 7 to enable the operator of the apparatus to Atilt-the central portion of lthe tool upwardly or downwardlyas necessary and still rcmainwithin the outer collar Q. The said kcollar 6v is internally bored and threaded to receive a threadedrod 8. Near one end of the said rod 8 a crosshole 9 is bored to ,receive a cutting tool 10. vThe end of the saidy rod 8` is bored and internally threaded to receive a set screw 11 which screw 11 normally holds the cutting tool 10 in place in fixed relation to the rod 8 but the tool may he moved as necessary to lengthen or shorten the cut by loosening the said set screw 1l. The other end oi the said rod 8 is enlarged as at l2 and the extreme end is formed into a hexagonal shape nut 13 to afford a hold for a wrench to turn it by. Near the end nut 13 a hole 14: is bored through which a bar 15 may be passed by which the rod may be turned when boring out the inside of a pipe. The angle at which the tool works is determined by setting the screws 3, l and 5.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows. To clean out the pipes of a furnace or boiler the water is drained therefrom and the front plugs are removed from the holes 1. The collar 2 is then screwed therein and the rod 8 tilted until it is on the angle o'l the pipes A of the boiler. The set screws 3, 4l and 5 are then set on the member 6 and the apparatus is ready to begin the cutting out o'l the scale from within the pipes A. The rod 8 is advanced until the cutting tool is starting into the end of the pipe A and the amount of cut necessary to clean the pipe is then determined. The tool l() is adjusted to the .correct amount oi cut. and the rod 11 turned and the tool 10 held 'rigid in the rod 8. The handle 15 is then inserted through the hole 14 and the rod 8 turned. As the threads in the. collar force the rod 8 along, the cutting tool 'l0 will cut all scale from the interior oi' the pipe A and when the length of the pipe has been covered the scale is all `lree and may be washed out with a little water and the pipe A will then be clean. Each pipe in a boiler may be cleaned the same way and much time and labor saved through the use of my invention.

Should there be a leak in one of the tubes of a boiler it would not be necessary to clean the whole pipe to iX it but the end near the front might be cleaned by my apparatus and TENT OFFICE..

the pipe then tightened, thereby saving much time. s

It will be obvious that slight modiications may be made in the apparatus without departing from the scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim 1.In an apparatus of the class described the combination of an externally threaded collar; set screws'through 011e end of said e collar; 'an-internally threaded member to fit Within said collar, and having a ange onv one end and the portion oi the member near said ange slightly spherical in form to allow for tilting movement of the member within said collar; a threaded rod to operate' in the threads in said flanged member; a cutting blade adjustably secured near the end of said rod; a set screw to hold said cutting blade: a

hole through the other end of said rod; and a haldle passed through said hole to turn said ro 2. In a pipe rcleaner for boilers the coxnbination of an externally threaded collar adapted to fit in the front cleaning hole of a boiler; a flanged member loosely fitting Within said collar and held therein by set screws through said collar and to be tilted at an angle therein to lit the angle of the pipe being cleaned by adjustment of the set screws; a threaded rod through said hanged member adapted to be advanced and retarded through said collar by the threads thereon and there in; and an adjustable cuttingfblade in the end of said rod to cut the scale from the interior of the boiler pipes.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

` LOUIS ROCKELMAN. 

